“I understand that it’s business, but still, it’s like, really? My industry friends who are clear and honest with me say, ‘Girl, they don’t have your size, and you’re not at that level yet, so you have to either move that way or just build those relationships so that later in the future maybe it happens.”

Some labels have directly turned her down.

“I had a situation with a high-end brand the other day where I had personally invested so much money purchasing their items, and I love what they do, so I had my publicist reach out to their PR team,” Polanco said. “Their response was, ‘Oh, you’re not the sizes we have, not right now, maybe in the future.’ Now even if they want me to [wear their designs] down the road, I will not give them the pleasure.”

These experiences have inspired the woman behind Dayanara Diaz to foray into the very industry that has discriminated against her.

“I want to design something that’s between plus and between sample sizes—a brand that eventually would market to everyone, to all women, period,” she told Vogue. “I’m creative enough, and to be honest with you, I don’t mind work. Now more than before, it’s like, ‘You’re not going to make my shit? Well, I’m going to make my own!’”